A powerful reminder of what paying it forward can truly change
In January 2026, Hot Cares met a woman whose strength and determination stopped us in our tracks.
Bernadette Francois has spent more than 25 years empowering others — advocating for disability rights, mentoring young people, guiding job seekers into the workplace, and uplifting her community through church and outreach work. Living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, she has never allowed her circumstances to define her contribution to the world around her.
But behind the scenes, Bernadette was facing a quiet crisis.
Her motorised wheelchair — her independence, her livelihood, her freedom — was failing. Each day it became harder to work, to care for her daughter, and to move through life with dignity. Repairs alone were out of reach. Replacement felt impossible.
“I don’t want sympathy,” Bernadette says. “I just want to keep working, keep contributing, and keep being there for my daughter.”
When Hot Cares heard her story, we knew this was a moment where stepping in could change everything. And we knew exactly who would understand the power of paying it forward.
Together with our friends at Silverstar, Hot Cares was able to do more than repair a problem — we restored a lifeline.
Bernadette received a brand-new motorised wheelchair, giving her back the independence she needs to continue her work and live life on her own terms.
“For someone who has spent her life lifting others, this has lifted me in ways I can’t describe,” she says.
This is what happens when compassion meets action. When generosity creates momentum. And when Hot Cares, supported by partners like Silverstar, steps in at exactly the right moment — not just to help someone survive, but to help them thrive.